Antitheft lock for automobiles



Deir. 30,\1930. E, M, HElDQRN 1,787,110

ANTITHEFT LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILES Jwumfoc Dec. 30, 1930. E. M. HEmoRN ANTITHEFT LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Aug. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwvemtoz:

Patented Dec. 30, 1930 .A i 1,187,110 l PATENT Aori-lcs EDWARD M; IIEIDORN, 'orHIIiLsI'Dn ILLINOIS l ANTITHEFT LocKjron ATOM'OBILE'S r .Applicationnied Augusta, ieee. 'serial No. 384,311.

My invention is an improvement :in lock# Ing devices for protecting automobilesand other closed motor cars against theft,l andv relates more especially to that particular type which is employed `for locking the hood to` prevent access to mechanical appliances en- Vcased therein which may be easi rand stolen.

y removed 'When an automobile of the closed typeis left unattended it is usual to protect it against theft byy locking the doors leading into the body of the car and thus prevent access to v the starting and steering mechanism', and vin many instances the hood being left unlocked permits a thief who may be balked in steal'- lfication of the clutch.'V

ing the automobile to resort to petty thieving by removing mechanical devices` or: arts which are essential tothe operation o the automobile thus not only putting the owner to the expense offreplacing the partslbutk making it impossible to run the automobile until such parts are replaced.

It is the principal object of my invention i therefore to provide an leffective 'locking means for the hood of an automobile which can be readily installed and operated' only from the'inside ofthe closed car, whereby the locking ofthe doors leading into the body of the car to prevent theftv of the auto- Ymobile will also protect against the operation of the lockingl means for the`hood.

A-further object of my invention' is to provide a locking means of this general character which will'be simple inconstruction, positive in operation, and in whichthe yoperating means' for releasing the sides of the hood can be readily and conveniently manipulated. y

With these principalobjects in viewrmy invention consists in the particular construction and arrangement of parts,l as hereinafter fully described and more specically vset forth in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure lis a side elevation of the forward part of an automobile with my improved form of hood lock and operating means therer for indicated in dotted lines. i "0 f Fig.`2 is a plan view of the forward part vnism as well as accessories common tov a well 'i f the chassis, showing the application ofthe locking devices.

Fig. 3 is an `enlarged planview of the lockmechanism at one side of the hood.

.Fig.' 4 is an elevation of the locking mech'a- 55 n1sm. v f ff g Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the platefor. operating the clutches.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectional'views on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 of Fig. 4.-. f Fig. 8f is a sectional view through one of the clutches. v v 1 gig. 9 is a detail view of the operating rod, an

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing a modi-l l Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views of the drawings.

My improved hood lock is designed for use 1n connection' with the closed type of automo- "7o bile as 'illustrated in Fig. l in which the body l0 is mounted on the chassis frame bars 11 and provided with the usual doors 12 each supplied with a lock (not shown) operated in any suitable manner as for instance by a key inserted in key hole 13.y the forward part `of Ythev chassis carrying radiator 14 and hood 15,

the latter covering the engine `(indicated in dottedlines) and other parts ofthe mechaequipped automobile. As usual the hood is in two parts hinged at their upper ends and folded downwardlyagainst longitudinal angle plates 16 attached to the frame-bars of the chassis, and the twosections of-said hood held in closedposition by hooks 17, though of course these hooks are not essential when the parts of the hood are provided with my improved locking means,`and of course the hood sections may have the usual 'hand grips (notfshownlffor raising and' lowering the same. n Iii carrying out my invention each'hing'ed portion of the ,hoodie provided on the inner side thereof with spaced apart locking-bolts or rods 18, 18, depending from attaching plates 19 bywhich they are rigidly secured to the hood, said locking-bolts or rods beingV pointed at their lower ends and provided with peripheral grooves 2O above said pointed ends, im

for thepurpose hereinafter explained. The

`locking-bolts or rods 18 at opposite sides of the hood cooperate with clutches secured to the inner side of the angle plates 16 on the chassis for `locking both sides of the hood inf place, and as the four clutches are similar a description of one vwill apply-to theothers, like numerals of reference being used. I prefer the form of clutch illustrated in detail in Fig. Soi the drawings, consisting of a casing 2l having attaching'ears22A byfwhich itis rigidly secured to the angle plate 16, said casi-Y ing beingprovided with a vertical 'opening through the same the upperpart2ofsaidv r opening"forming` a passage for the lockingy bolt or rod into-.the enlarged lower. portion 24 which contains the clutch members or jaws 25,25, between which the, roundedzend' of the locking-bolt passes to be gripped by fvsaid jaws, for which purposethe free endsl ofthev latter are provided with opposingvteethfi V- y whichV engage the'groove 20 in theflockingbolt.Vv The clutch members or jaws 25 4are formed integrally with an operating meinber 27 and saidrjaws are of spring metal and gnormallyseparated to yreceive and release the locking-bolt when they are inuppermost position in the clutch-casing,'beingclosed on the locking-bolt when moved downward by the contracted'end of the 'openingQ/li rlt'will be understood that the clutches 25secured tov the chassis'are in vertical line withfthe'companion locking-bolts or rods carried by the sections of the hood, so that when said sec-Vy tions are lowered the locking-bolts willfente'r the clutches, and for operating both clutchesat either side of the hood a long narrow plate 28 is slidably mounted in bearings 29 on the frame bars of the chassis, said plate havingV slots 30 through which the jaws of the clutches pass with the operatingmember or head 27 located below the plate to be engaged by an inclined surface or cam 81 acting to move the jaws into locked engagement with thebolt The plates which operate the vgripping jaws of the clutches are automatic-ally moved to locked position by means Otan ezipansion spring 32 interposed between one ot the bearing-brackets and an abutment 83 'on kthe plate, said springbeing held in place b a rod 34 ro lectinfy from the abutment and y slidable in the aforementioned bearing*- bracket, as shown in the drawings.

The plates at the opposite sides of the hood are moved against the action oie the springs `for releasing the bolts by means of devices operated froml within the body oi the autoinobilefthis operating mechanism in'v'the present instance comprising a crank-shaft `35 mounted across the rear end of theengine in brackets 35a with the crank-arms 86 connected by rods 37 to pinions 38 at eachside of the hood supported by the angle-plate 16 :and in mesh with rack-teeth 39 formed on said plate, an operating-rod 40 being con-V vnectedto the crank 41 at the center of said shaft and extending through the instrument board `of the automobile within easy reach of the driver. Suitable means may be provided for working the rod'andfor holding it in the operation of the crank-shaft, the pre- ;ferred formbeing shownin Fig. 9 of the drawings, in'xwhich said rod is connected by i swivel 4t2 to an extension rod 43 having a threadedp'ortion 44 turning in the hub of a bracket 45 secured tothe instrument-board i6 and at its inner end provided with a crank- `handle 47,"whe`rebylit is only necessary to turn the crank-,handle for moving the sectional operating-rod back and forth; it being underconnections 87 tomove the platesv 28 'for-Ii wardso that thecams 31k on the underside l"thereof will pull down on the clutchemembers or jaws 25-25 to grip the locking bolts 18,

`as shown initull lines Fig. 8, and that-when the operating-rod is turned counter-clockwise" to relievelpullon links'37 springs 32j will act automaticallyrto move the plates in the other direction and .release the clutchfmernbersas'the'small end of each cam is in position to' engage the operating member 27 of" thefclutch, as indicated inldotted linesvin said Fig. 8 of thedrawings.

From the foregoing description, incon- Ilection withtlie accompanying drawings, the

construction-,and operation of my improved' ,locking ymeans :will 'be readily.understood,

orthe operating-shaft or screwaod being manipulated to lock the coversections forming'the hood the locking of the doors leading into ,the` car will prevent said cover sectionsl being raised and thusv prevent the engine rombeing tampered'with or the parts enclosed being stolen.l Furthermore, 'by the particular construction of the locking mecha- -nism ,inl cooperation .with the screw-rodfor operating the same the cliitcli-menibers will be-actedfupon by the plates to pull down on :the locking-bolts and clamp the hood firmly and securely in i closed' position against rattling as well ias being vopened without access being first had to the body of the car.

` The hood-locking devicein accordance with my invention can be readily installedat com paratively'small expense, and being positive vin operation, aswell as durable in construc-` tion, provides an 'etl'ective arrangement of this kind 'forthe protection of an automobile when it is lei't unattended, and'when access to Vthe engine is desired by the owner oran authorized person itis necessary only to turn the screw-rod counter-clockwise suihcienily to have the cams release the spring-actuated clutch-members. Y

vThe modification in F ig. 10 of the drawings ishowsa ldiderent form of the clutch, in this y latter having gripping teeth which` bite into the depending bolt 5l, and are spring actuated to close on said bolt by spring 52 interposed bet veen shoulders 53 on the jaws and lower end of the opening'through the casing. ln this instance the cam 31 operates member 5e to open the jaws for releasing thebolt when the plates are moved forwardly by clockwise movement of the handle 47 and are actuated by the spring 52 for ly by springs 32 on counter-clockwise movement of the crank handle, the jaws being spaced apart for practically their 'ull length vso that the bolt can enter to a more or less extent and thereby accommodate the closed position of the hood. ln this instance also a plain bolt is used instead of a headed bolt as shown in Fig. 8, as the gripping action of the jaws is caused by their riding upwardly on the converging side walls of the opening in the casing, and consequently the greater the pull on the rod the greater the gripping action ot said bolts, the bolt being pointed at its end so as to enter between the tree ends of the jaws. I claim l. A hood locking mechanism for autoincbiles comprising depending bolts secured to the cover sections forming the hood, clutches secured to the chassis and having jaws adapted to engage said bolts, slidable plates en- 'gaging the -jaws for moving them in and out ot Alocked engagement `with the bolts,

Yand means for moving the vplates operated from within the body of the automobile.

2. A hood locking mechanism i`or automobiles comprising depending bolts secured to the cover sections forming the hood, lclutches secured. to the chassis and each con` sisting of a casing having an opening therein contracted at one end with separable jaws extending into the `casing through the contracted opening to engage the bolts carriedk by the hood; jaws for moving them towards each other for gripping the aforesaid for sliding the plates operated from within the body of the automobile.

3. A hood locking mechanism for automo-v biles comprising depending bolts secured to the cover sections forming the hood,

clutches secured to the. chassis and having spring-actuated jaws adapted to engage the,

j bolts, slidable'plates for moving the jaws in one direction, said jaws being spring-actuated in the other' direction, and means for,Y

operating the plates extending into the body ,of the automobile.

Y Ll. A hood locking mechanism for automolbiles comprising ydepending'bolts secured to gripping the bolt when the plate-s are moved rearwardslidable plates engaging they bolts. and means the cover sections forming the hood, clutches secured to the chassis for engaging the bolts and each consisting of a casing having a vertical opening therethrough contracted at one en d, spring actuated aws extending upwardly into the opening and normally separated in the enlarged portion of said open-v ing, and an operating member connecting the lower ends of said jaws; together with a slidable plate having a cam surface engaging said Voperating member of the jaws, and Vmeans for sliding the plate extending into the body of the automobile.

5. A hood locking mechanism for automobiles comprising depending bolts secured to the cover sections forming the hood, clutches secured to the chassis for engaging the bolts, operating members on said clutches, and slidinf)` plates at opposite sides of the chassis for operating the clutches; together with means Afor slidingthe plates comprising a crank-shaft, connections between the cranlnsliaft and plates, a rod connected to the crank-shaft, an operating screw-rod connected to said rod by a swivel, and a bracket having a threaded opening through which the screw-rod passes, the inner end of the screw-rod having a` crank-handle for turning the same.V e

6. A hood locking mechanism for autoincbiles comprising dependingv bolts secured to the cover sections forming the hood, clutches secured to the chassis Ji'or engaging the bolts and each consisting ot a casing having a ver*- tical opening therethrough contracted at vone end, springmetal jaws extending upwardly into the opening and adapted to be normally separated in the enlarged portion of said opening, and an operating member connecting the lower ends of said jaws; together with slidable plates at opposite sides of the chassis, cam surfaceson the'underside of said plates for operating the clutches and rack-teeth on the upper side thereof, pinions inmesh with the rack-teeth, a crank-shaft connected to the pinions, and anvoperating rod connected to the crank-shaftand eXtending into the body of the automobile. l

y EDWARD M. HEIDORN.

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